Web feed for wrapping machines



April 25, 1944. w. HOPPE WEB FEED FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Aug. 10. 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 inunnuuwp u Unuw V Dll/l/l/II/IMM IIZ lllllllll .ll

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WEB FEED FOR WRAPPING MACHINES e Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 10, 1942 862% m M ll 50 l 7 1 .53 I j $7 M l L INVENTOR M; L MM jYflPP:

April 25, 1944.

W. HOPPE WEB FEED FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Aug. 10. 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INENTOR MILL/AM JYOPPE BY WQLZM ATTORNEYS Filed Aug. 10, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 wv H M M Z W ATTORNEYS April 25, 1944. w. HOPPE 2,347,560

WEB FEED FOR WRAPPING MACHINES ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 25, 1944 OFFICE WEB FEED FOR WRAPPING MACHINES William Hoppe, Longmeadow, Masa, assignor to National Bread Wrapping Machine Co., Spring field, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 10, 1942, Serial No. 454,275

5 Claims.

This invention relates to wrapping machines and has particular reference to improvements in mechanism for simultaneously feeding the web and making the initial circumferential wrap about the article. In my prior Patent 2,273,961, February 24, 1942, there is disclosed a web feed in which the web is fed positively by the contact of two constantly rotating friction rolls at a time ent in various particulars which will appear-more fully from the following description and claims. It is one object of the invention to accomplish similar results by the use of one driven roll only, this roll being fixed in position so that it is unnecessary to provide a driving connection for a bodily movable roll. A further object is to improve upon the mechanism described in said patprove the prior apparatus as to the manner of regulating the overlapping of the wrapper around the article by changing the length of wrapper extending beyond the article at the time of initial contact. A further object is to improve the correlation between the paper feed and the wrapping mechanism, particularly when an oscillating article carrier is used. Additional objects will appear from the following description and claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a median section through a wrapping machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 i a detail plan of a portion of the article carrier;

Fig. 3 is a detail plan of the driving mechanism for the wrapper feed rolls;

Figs. 4 to 9 are details corresponding to a portion of Fig. 1, showing the parts in successive stages of operation and the specific construction of some parts of the mechanism; and

Figs. 10 and 11 are details illustrating the construction and operation of a modification.

Referring first to Fig. 1, articles are fed into the machine along an upwardly inclined guideway i2 having side plates i3 by an intermittently actuated conveyor it having spaced flights i5. Located above this guideway are horizontal plates i1, 98 forming the floor of a wrapping and delivery channel. A carrier arm i9 is pivoted to the machine frame at 20 and has attached to it a depending arm 2i carrying a roll 22 running in a groove 23 of a cam 24 carried by a constantly rotating shaft 25. -At its outer end the carrier i9 has an article supporting plate 26 which, as the carrier is oscillated by the cam, move from the position of Fig. 6 where it is in line with the infeed guideway to the position of Fig. 9 where it is in line with the wrapping and delivery channel. Side folding plates 21 (Fig. 2) are carried by arms 28 pivoted at 29 to members 30 laterally adjustable upon the shaft 20 and upon a rod 3| mounted. on the carrier, and are constantly urged towards each other by springs 32. Only one of these tucking plate assemblies has been shown on Fig. 2, it being understood that the one on the opposite side of the article is the same as the one shown, except that itis a mirror image. It being desirable to separate the plates 21 when they are in their article receiving position, 'the arms 28 are provided with extensions 33 carrying rolls 34 which in the'lower position of the carrier may be contacted with by a plate 35 (Fig. 5) extending across the machine and carried by arms 36 pivoted at 31 and controlled by a cam roll 38 running in a groove39 of a cam 40 on shaft 25 The cam 39 is so shaped that the folding plates 21 are separated during the initial entry of an article between them and are immediately released to grip the article yieldingly at its ends. In Fig. 6 the cam is about to cause release of the tucking plates, this operation having been completed in the position of Fig. 7..

The wrapper web is fed from any desired source over a plate at the end of which is located a feed roller 46 fixedly located in the frame and having a chain drive 41 from a drive shaft 48.

Mounted at the end of a pair of lever's liil is a rotatable roller 5|. The levers 50 are fixedfto a shaft 52 and this shaft also carrie 'anarm 53 connected .by a link 54 with a rocker 55 pivoted on a shaft 56 and carrying a roll 51. This roll runs in a cam groove 58 (Fig. '7) formed in a paper feed'roll cam 59 mounted on cam shaft25. This mechanism, as will be apparent from Figs. 6 to 9, controls the amount of Wrapper drawn out prior to the initial contact between the article and the wrapper and thus determines the length of the first lap on the bottom of the article. The second or outside lap on the article bottom is preferably fixed in length as will be described, so that the amount of overlapping of the two flaps is directly controlled by cam 59. To permit direct adjustment the link 54 i preferably coupledto rocker 55 by an adjustable pivot Bil so that the length of swing of the arms 50 may be controlled at will.

With the construction described it is not generally necessary to drive the roll 5| positively, but this may be done readily if desired as shown on Figs. 1 and 3. The roll 5| is coupled by a sprocket and chain connection 93 with a sleeve 54 on the shaft 52 previously mentioned, and this sleeve is coupled by a sprocket and chain connection 85 with the shaft 50 driving the delivery conveyor 51. The shaft 58 is constantly driven by gearing 58 from the shaft 48 and also may' ave a chain and sprocket connection 69 with e shaft 25. The rolls 46 and SI are driven in opposite directions as indicated by arrows, so that the web w will be driven by frictional contact with roll 46 at all times. If the roll 5| is not driven but is made freely rotatable, substantially the general effect will be secured since, as will beapparent in the drawings, the two rolls are so positioned as to cause the web to be bent about and thus be in constant frictional contact with the zoll 46 while the web is being drawn out by the movement of the article.

A fixed cutter 10 on the carrier coacts with a' swinging cutter II mounted, as is best shown in Fig. 9, on one or more rockers l2 pivoted in the frame and connected by a link I3 with a rocker 14 having a cam roll 15 running in a groove I of a cam 11 on shaft 25. This cam also operates; 3 Furthermore, the screw I09 forms an adjustment a link 19 controlling through a spring 19 a rocker 80 actuating a paper brake 8| which operates to clamp the web against the plate 45 at the instant of cutting. A drag 82 rests freely upon the web to prevent backward motion thereof after the clamp 8| is released. The swinging cutter ll coacts with a fixed blade 10 on the carrier.

The operation of the described parts and the coaction therewith of certain other elements will now be considered with particular reference to Figs. 4 to 9. In Fig. 4 an article a is being carried 9 along the infeed conveyor by one of the pushers I5. The web w is at this time held by the drag, and its leading end b is hanging freely in front of the advancing-articles. The manner in which this leading end was placed in this position can best be understood after a consideration of the remaining figures. In Fig. 5 the web remains in its free condition, the article continues to advance, and the carrier swings downwardly toward a position of alignment with the infeed conveyor. The approach of the carrier into alignment coincides with the feeding thereon of article a by the pusher I5. As the article advances onto the carrier the end of the wrapper is held against it by a backing plate 85 which may have yieldable or frictional engagement with the elevator. The web is thus bent around the two rolls 46 and 5|, causing frictional feedingof the web in proportion to the amount required by the wrapping operation. No more wrapping material will be fed than is required, since the moment slack is formed the feeding will stop.

This same feeding action occurs during the remaining portion of the wrapping operation. The carrier now swings upwardly, carrying the article past the feed rolls, ultimately coming-into alignment with th wrapping channel as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. As the article comes into alignment the wrapper is gripped between a fixed roll ,86 adjacent thecorner of thewrapping channel an'd,a; roll- 81 yieldably mounted on the forward -.en d1 ,-of the carrier. The yielding mounting of thislatter roll also serves to prevent interference the roll and onto the plate I! by a bifurcated with the pusher l5, as shown in Fig. 7. With the wrapper gripped between the rolls 09, 81, as shown in Fig. 9, the cutter operates, but prior to this time the roll 5| has been lowered to the position of Fig. 9 to draw out a predetermined length 'of web which thereupon drops downwardly into the position of Fig. 4, and the cycle is repeated. Since the cutter. position is fixed the length of the second lap can be controlled by varying the timing of the knife with relation to the pusher I05 to be described below.

In Figs. 10 and 11 is shown a modification of the means for operating the movable roll 5I,.

particularly useful in cases where this roll is not to be rotated positively. In this instance the roll it is carried by arms pivoted to the frame at 9i and connected by links 92 to arms 93 mounted at opposite ends of a cross shaft 94. At one end of the cross shaft is a rocking member 95 connected by an adjustable pivot 90 to a link 91 pivoted at 99 to a rocker 99. This rocker carries a roll I00 running in a groove MI in a cam I02 on shaft 25. A screw I09 is provided to operate the adjustment of the pivot 99. This has an advantage over the previously described construction in that the roll 5| is carried at opposite ends by arms which can be individually adJusted by a turn buckle construction of links 92 to correct any tendency of the web to creep sideways.

for the length of the over-lap which can be actuated while the machine is in operation.

Preferably before the wrapper is severed the article is started in motion from the carrier over 'pusher I05 carried by blocks I06 in horizontal guideways I 01. A link I09 couples one or both blocks to a lever I09 pivoted on shaft 55 and having a roll IIO (Fig. 8) running in a groove III in a cam II2 on shaft 25. As the carrier rises to about the position of Fig. 8 the pusher I05 starts forward, moving up to the position shown in Fig. 4 where it dwells momentarily while the carrier descends. The pusher does not contact the article directly, but strikes a bracket 3 holding the backing plate 95 (Fig. 2); and this dwell is necessary to permit the backing plate to descend below the level of the delivery channel. Once this is accomplished the pusher again 'advances to the dotted line position of Fig. 5, carrying the article well along the channel. It then makes a rapid return to prepare for the next ascent of the carrier. Suitable end folders H4, H5, and III; are provided which act in the usual manner not necessary to describe here.

What I claim is:

1. A wrapping machine having spaced article infeed and delivery stations, a constantly driven web-feeding roll located between the stations, means for directing a web over said roll, a carrier movable between the stations to receive an article and the leading end of the web at the infeed station and to partially enfold the article in said leading end during its movement to the delivery station, a second rotatable roll normally positioned between the first roll and the carrier to cause bending of the web around the first v means for directing a web over said roll, a carrier movable between the stations to receive an article and the leading end of the web at the infeed station and to partiallyenfold the article in said leading end during its movement to the delivery station, a second rotatable roll normally positioned between the-first roll and the carrier but out of contact with the first roll to cause bending of the web around the first roll, means for moving the second roll towards the inieed station when the carrier is adjacent the delivery station to draw out a tween the article and the first roll, and means for severing said length of web.

3. A wrapping machine having spaced article infeed and delivery stations, a constantly driven web-feeding roll located between the stations,,

means for directing a web over said roll, a carrier movable between the stations to receive an article and the leading end of the web at the infeed station and to partially enfold the article in said leading end during its movement to the delivery station, a second rotatable roll normally positioned between the first roll and the carrier but out of contact with the first roll to cause bending of the web around the first roll, nieans for moving the second roll towards the infeed station when the carrier is adjacent the delivery station to draw outfa length of web between the article and the first roll, means for rotating said second roll in a direction opposite to that of the first roll, and means for said length of web. I

4 A wrapping machine having spaced article infeed and delivery stations, a constantly driven web-feeding roll located between the stations, means for directing a web over said roll, a carlength of web be-q severing delivery station,

rier movable between the stations to receive an article and the leading end of the web at the infeed station and to partially enfold the article in said leading end during itsmovement to the a second rotatable roll normally positioned between the first roll and the carrier but out of contact with the first roll to cause bending of the web around the first roll, means for moving the second roll towards the infeed station when the carrier is adjacent the delivery station to draw out a length of web between the article and the first roll, means for severing said length of web, and means for adjusting the length of travel of the second roll.

5. A wrapping machine having angularly spaced infeed and delivery stations, a constantly driven web-feeding roll located between the stations, means for directing a web over said roll, an oscillating carrier movable between the stations to receive an article and the leading end of the web at the infeed station and to partially enfold the article in said leading end during its movement to the delivery station, a second freely rotatable roll normally positioned between the first roll and the carrier, but out of contact with the first roll, to cause bending of the web around the first roll, means for moving the second roll towards the infeed station to draw out a length of web as the carrier approaches the delivery station, means for adjusting the travel of the second roll whereby the length of the leading end. of the web to be associated with the next succeeding article may-be regulated to control the underlap thereof, and means for severing the web between the second roll and the article.

,WILLIAM HOPPE. 

